All in all, we'll win this, but it's been 90 minutes of meh thus far. Disappointing showing. Expecting a much better showing against the Solomons because this has at times been quite painful to watch.
I thought Tahiti did well to keep Wood quiet. Yes there was some seriously poor tackles and refereeing but we never really looked threatening up front.
McCowatt, Just, Garbett and Wood all looked bang average. Poor passing between each other and not a single killer through ball.
I think Cacace and Kirwin had good games and our corner kicks were actually very good even if we did not cash in on them.
We've still to field our best XI under Hay. We better have a bunch of friendlies sorted before that intercontinental playoff as the CONCACAF 1st XI will be a lot more used to playing together then ours.
1-0 it was messy and physical;, but that's to be expected. It's how we used to play against "bigger" teams. Muscle up and dont let them play with the ball. Its a good strategy when your out skilled. Take the win move on to the final.
Solomons in the final with Hou & R. Lea'i will offer a real counter attacking threat.
But today if Garbett nods in that open header, the whole game changes. Got to take your early chances, so stopping these Island teams growing in confidence, the longer they keep AWs scoreless.
Yikes, we didn't look too good today. The fiesty Tahitian team, clearly went in with a negative (but clearly effective) game plan. Definitely need another Singh type of player who can thread the ball to Wood to add a bit more variety than just balls into the box from the flanks. I think Stamenic can fill that role, and also take the pressure off Bell. McCowatt and Garbett left a lot to be desired today.
Morning all, "hilites" from today. Yes it was ropey, but could've easily been 5-0 (did Marinovich have an actual save to make other than the low cross?). Didn't really look like we got out of 3rd gear, so made it look harder than it should've been. Real job done stuff, just jeepers some of those tackles were dodgy...
We probably could have used the likes of Rojas today to help unlock what was a very deep Tahitian back line. Looking at you Popovic..
Was getting a little nervous we might have been looking at extra time for a bit there.
his agent (father) wouldnt have been interested in seeing his son embarrassing an island nation - not worth his time or effort.
Is this true? I’ve seen it mentioned a few times on here but hadn’t seen it before. He’s played a lot vs OFC teams previously, under teams coached by Herbert and Hudson which would be much more negative than under Hay.
Isn’t it much more to do with him being unavailable prior to the window because he was in Japan, and then they had three games during the window, so with the wide forward depth already there, it wasn’t imperative to take him.
So, do they rest Cacace for the next game so he doesn't get another yellow and potentially miss the intercontinental playoff?
I'd bring them both (Libby and Winston) on as subs or not at all. We have a good enough team there to qualify without risking getting them banned for the game that really matters.
Libby just strikes you as the sort of guy who will get a yellow doing some sort of sharkhousery too. Plus with these refs I wouldn't trust someone won't get a card for doing nothing wrong.
So, do they rest Cacace for the next game so he doesn't get another yellow and potentially miss the intercontinental playoff?
I'd bring them both (Libby and Winston) on as subs or not at all. We have a good enough team there to qualify without risking getting them banned for the game that really matters.
Sort of disagree. I'm a bit nervous about the Solomons. So AWs shouldn't get ahead of ourselves just yet. Greive, Reid & Cacace are at risk of suspension for the Playoff game.
Libby would be the biggest loss, so yes you might consider starting De Vries. But Michael Boxall could replace Reid in need, and Greive whilst having a great future is not yet hugely important to the AWs. Reid's influence is likely as much off the pitch as on, so if he was suspended for the Playoff, he's still be offering a huge amount off the field within the group.
But yeah if AWs are comfortably up 2-3 goals in 2nd half, haul Winnie off and bring on Smith. Same Libby for De Vries, and don't bother bringing on Greive (presuming he is a sub only again).
Be interesting also to see what Costa Rica do for their final CONCACAF game against the USA. It's highly unlikely they will avoid finishing 4th, and the Playoff spot. It might be them, who rest any players at risk of being suspended, for the Playoff.
So, do they rest Cacace for the next game so he doesn't get another yellow and potentially miss the intercontinental playoff?
I'd bring them both (Libby and Winston) on as subs or not at all. We have a good enough team there to qualify without risking getting them banned for the game that really matters.
Sort of disagree. I'm a bit nervous about the Solomons. So AWs shouldn't get ahead of ourselves just yet. Greive, Reid & Cacace are at risk of suspension for the Playoff game.
Libby would be the biggest loss, so yes you might consider starting De Vries. But Michael Boxall could replace Reid in need, and Greive whilst having a great future is not yet hugely important to the AWs. Reid's influence is likely as much off the pitch as on, so if he was suspended for the Playoff, he's still be offering a huge amount off the field within the group.
But yeah if AWs are comfortably up 2-3 goals in 2nd half, haul Winnie off and bring on Smith. Same Libby for De Vries, and don't bother bringing on Greive (presuming he is a sub only again).
Be interesting also to see what Costa Rica do for their final CONCACAF game against the USA. It's highly unlikely they will avoid finishing 4th, and the Playoff spot. It might be them, who rest any players at risk of being suspended, for the Playoff.
I'm not writing of SI at all and think they will be quite decent. Having watched all of the games in this Tourney so far, I think all of the island nations have come on in leaps and bounds and are better then many Asian and European teams above them on the FIFA rankings.
BUT
We should be able to get a win here with Libby and Reid both playing bit parts or not at all. These are two players that we need to start in the intercontimental playoff if we are to have any chance at all of a result. In that game the back should be Libby - Reid - M.Boxall - ?
I fear most about RB. Hay and us fans still don't really know who our best RB is. Two months ago I worried about losing Wood as he's been our only decent striker in recent years, but I think Grieve and Waine will now make three acomplished forwards negating the need to call up the likes of De Jong.
So, do they rest Cacace for the next game so he doesn't get another yellow and potentially miss the intercontinental playoff?
I'd bring them both (Libby and Winston) on as subs or not at all. We have a good enough team there to qualify without risking getting them banned for the game that really matters.
Sort of disagree. I'm a bit nervous about the Solomons. So AWs shouldn't get ahead of ourselves just yet. Greive, Reid & Cacace are at risk of suspension for the Playoff game.
Libby would be the biggest loss, so yes you might consider starting De Vries. But Michael Boxall could replace Reid in need, and Greive whilst having a great future is not yet hugely important to the AWs. Reid's influence is likely as much off the pitch as on, so if he was suspended for the Playoff, he's still be offering a huge amount off the field within the group.
But yeah if AWs are comfortably up 2-3 goals in 2nd half, haul Winnie off and bring on Smith. Same Libby for De Vries, and don't bother bringing on Greive (presuming he is a sub only again).
Be interesting also to see what Costa Rica do for their final CONCACAF game against the USA. It's highly unlikely they will avoid finishing 4th, and the Playoff spot. It might be them, who rest any players at risk of being suspended, for the Playoff.
I'm not writing of SI at all and think they will be quite decent. Having watched all of the games in this Tourney so far, I think all of the island nations have come on in leaps and bounds and are better then many Asian and European teams above them on the FIFA rankings.
BUT
We should be able to get a win here with Libby and Reid both playing bit parts or not at all. These are two players that we need to start in the intercontimental playoff if we are to have any chance at all of a result. In that game the back should be Libby - Reid - M.Boxall - ?
I fear most about RB. Hay and us fans still don't really know who our best RB is. Two months ago I worried about losing Wood as he's been our only decent striker in recent years, but I think Grieve and Wayne will now make three acomplished forwards negating the need to call up the likes of De Jong.
Kirwan attacking and Payne defensive - neither of them are on the same level as Cacace/Tuiloma/Reid/Boxall (yet), but they're both solid and serviceable players. My hopes for the future of RB would be: - Kirwan to kick on and establish himself as an undroppable player in Serie B (lower level Serie A would be the dream but we'll be more realistic for now) - Payne to become the best RB in the A-League (big ask but entirely possible) - Kalua to get a European move and establish himself at a senior level - Billingsley and Elliot to find first team minutes and continue their development
Not an absolute wealth of depth there but two solid, experienced senior players and three promising young boys who will hopefully develop and establish themselves over the next couple years is decent for now and a whole lot better than we've had in the past *cough* Storm Roux, Louis Fenton, Kip Colvey *cough*
